Which has higher lower secondary school starting age, Tonga or United States?

Tonga, at 12 years against 12 years in United States as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Tonga and United States?

56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Lower secondary school starting age (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Tonga vs United States: Lower secondary school starting age

Tonga

12 years

in 2025

United States

12 years

in 2025

Tonga rank

30th

United States rank

30th

Lower secondary school starting age over time

Tonga
United States

How they compare

Tonga currently reports 12 years against 12 years in United States, a difference of 0 years.

Across all 56 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.

Tonga ranks 30th and United States ranks 30th of 209 countries.

United States has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Tonga	United States	Difference	Ahead
1970s	12 years	12 years	0 years	—
1980s	11.4 years	12 years	0.6 years	United States
1990s	11 years	12 years	1 years	United States
2000s	11 years	12 years	1 years	United States
2010s	11.8 years	12 years	0.2 years	United States
2020s	12 years	12 years	0 years	—

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher lower secondary school starting age, Tonga or United States?: Tonga, at 12 years against 12 years in United States as of 2025.
What is the difference in lower secondary school starting age between Tonga and United States?: 0 years, with Tonga ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Tonga and United States?: 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
How do Tonga and United States rank globally for lower secondary school starting age?: Tonga ranks 30th and United States ranks 30th of 209 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Lower secondary school starting age (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Tonga vs United States: Lower secondary school starting age. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/lower-secondary-school-starting-age-years/tonga/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator: Lower secondary school starting age (years)
Unit: years
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 209 places, 11,411 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed: 20 August 2026

Lower secondary school starting age is the age at which students would enter lower secondary education, assuming they had started at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, had studied full-time throughout and had progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade.